Cauliflower rice with mushrooms is one of those skillet recipes that earns its place in your regular weeknight rotation: one pan, 20 minutes, and a savory depth from golden sautéed mushrooms that makes it feel far more substantial than you would expect from a vegetable dish. I cook the mushrooms until they are properly browned, not just softened, and that step alone is what gives this cauliflower rice its rich, almost meaty flavor. I add a splash of vegetable broth and a touch of soy sauce to pull everything together, then finish with fresh spinach that wilts right into the pan.
Why I Love This Mushroom Cauliflower Rice
I have been making cauliflower rice in some form since Pierre and I decided to eat more vegetables in our meals, right after we got married about 15 years ago. Growing up in Brazil, rice was on the table almost every single day. My mom made it from scratch constantly, and it was the kind of food I never questioned.
So when cauliflower rice started showing up everywhere, I was honestly not convinced I would like it. And plain cauliflower rice? I will be honest, I am still not a fan. That is exactly why I created this recipe. It needed to be full of flavor, or I was not going to make it.
What I love most about this version is the layering of flavor. A lot of cauliflower rice recipes taste, honestly, a little flat. The trick I have landed on after making this recipe dozens of times is not rushing the mushrooms. They need to go into a hot pan with enough space to brown rather than steam, and once they pick up that golden color, they bring a savory, earthy base that carries the whole dish. The soy sauce is just a splash, not enough to make it taste Asian-inspired, but enough to add that umami depth that cauliflower rice on its own is missing.
This works beautifully as a main dish with a fried egg on top, or as a side to nearly any protein like slow cooker chicken breast or baked pork chops. When I want something heartier, I serve it alongside my spicy salmon with sweet potato, and that combination has become one of our favorite easy weeknight dinners.
All ingredients and their amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Cremini Mushrooms: The mushrooms are the reason to make this recipe. I use cremini mushrooms because their flavor is deeper and more savory than white button mushrooms, and they hold their texture better in a hot skillet. I slice them about a quarter inch thick so they brown properly rather than release all their moisture at once and steam. You can also use shiitake, which gives a slightly more intense, almost smoky flavor, or a mix of both. Whatever variety you use, the key is not to crowd the pan. Give them space, and let them sit undisturbed for a minute or two before stirring, so they develop that golden crust.
Pro Tip: If your mushrooms look wet or were stored in a damp bag, pat them dry with a paper towel before they go into the pan. Wet mushrooms steam instead of brown, and that changes everything about the flavor of the finished dish.
Cauliflower Rice: I make my own by cutting a head of cauliflower into florets and pulsing them in a food processor for about 25 to 30 seconds until they look like fluffy grains. Over-processing turns them into a paste, so I stop early and work in two batches if the head is large. Store-bought riced cauliflower works perfectly well here too, both fresh and frozen. If you use frozen, there is no need to thaw it first, just add it straight to the pan and expect an extra minute or two of cooking time to drive off the moisture.
Fresh Spinach: I add it at the very end and let it wilt for about two minutes. It keeps its bright green color that way and adds a freshness that balances the earthier mushroom flavor. Baby spinach works best because the leaves are tender and cook down quickly.
How to Make This Cauliflower Rice with Mushrooms
Prep note: no oven needed. You will need one large skillet, about 12 inches, and a food processor if making your own cauliflower rice.
Step 1: If you are starting from a whole head of cauliflower, I cut it into florets first and then pulse them in the food processor in two batches, about 25 to 30 seconds per batch. You are looking for a light, fluffy texture that resembles grains of rice. I stop early on purpose because the cauliflower will continue to break down as it cooks, and over-processing at this stage leads to a mushy result.
Step 2: I heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onion and celery. I cook these for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and the onion is just beginning to turn translucent. This step builds the savory base for everything that follows, so I give it the full time and do not rush it to get to the mushrooms faster.
Step 3: I add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds until it is fragrant, then push everything to the edges of the pan and add the mushrooms in a single layer in the center. This is where most home cooks go wrong: they stir the mushrooms immediately and trap the moisture. I let them sit for about 2 minutes before stirring, which gives them time to develop a proper golden-brown crust. Once they have some color, I stir and let them cook another 2 minutes until they are fully cooked through and any released moisture has evaporated.
Step 4: I add the cauliflower rice, pour in the vegetable broth, and add the soy sauce. I stir to combine and then let everything cook together for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The cauliflower absorbs the broth as it cooks. I am looking for florets that are just tender with a very slight bite, not soft or mushy. The moment it reaches that texture, I move to the next step.
Step 5: I add the fresh spinach and fold it into the pan. Within about 2 minutes it wilts completely into the rice. I season with salt and black pepper, taste, and adjust. I finish with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately. Cauliflower rice is best right out of the pan, while it still has that slight bite. It softens as it sits.
Olivia’s Recipe Tips
Taste the soy sauce before you add extra salt. The soy sauce brings enough sodium that in most cases I add very little additional salt, sometimes none at all. I always taste after the soy sauce before reaching for the salt shaker.
Add a fried egg on top to make it a full meal. This is how I often serve it for a quick lunch. The runny yolk acts as a sauce and adds richness that makes the dish feel completely different.
More Cauliflower Rice
Cauliflower Rice with Mushrooms
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 stick celery sliced
- ½ cup onion chopped
- 1 big garlic clove minced
- 3 cups mushrooms sliced
- 14 oz. cauliflower rice
- 1/3 cup organic vegetable broth
- Soy sauce to taste
- 2 cups spinach
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Pulse the cauliflower florets in a food processor for about 25-30 seconds until it’s a rice-like consistency. Set aside.
- In a large skillet add olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and celery and cook until tender about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add mushroom and sauté until it’s cooked through. Add the cauliflower rice, the vegetable broth, and soy sauce. Allow the cauliflower rice to absorb the vegetable broth. Cook until it is soft, but not mushy.
- Add spinach and cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Warm gently in a skillet or microwave until heated through.
- Freeze: This dish isn’t ideal for freezing, as the texture of cooked mushrooms can change when thawed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?
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I loved this!! I skipped the celery because I didn’t have any and used frozen cauliflower rice and a little extra soy sauce. I added cooked shrimp at the end just long enough to warm it up. Super yummy dinner and warmed up well for lunch.
Yes the leftover warms up well for lunch. Happy you liked this recipe 😉
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This was SO delicious! I used your recipe as a base–cuz I never would have thought to add mushrooms and spinach to cauliflower rice–and made a few additions: broccoli florets, asparagus, cabbage and ground ginger. I used a GENEROUS portion of coconut aminos along with my salt and pepper and it was PERFECT for my meal prepping for the upcoming week! I’ll be eating it with several meats over the week: beef barbacoa, a keto fish recipe, and some lemon pepper chicken. It’ll be the perfect accompaniment to each of those! Thank you so much for sharing this delish recipe!
I’m so glad you loved it! Thanks so much for taking the time to share this review. 🙂
Cauliflower “rice” is a genius idea!!! Since cauliflower and mushrooms are two of my favorite foods I’ll rush to make this dish tonight! Thanks
Awesome! Happy to hear that 😉
gotta admit i was skeptical that it was going to be kind of bland. I was sooo wrong!!! I didnt use olive oil i just use broth to cook the onions and celery and used frozen cauliflower. I also thru in some frozen peas just to have more veggies 😉 I also used lemon pepper and garlic salt. SOOOOO GOOD!!!!!!!
Awesome 😉
This didn’t have much flavor to me. Seemed rather bland. I tried adding other seasoning as well.
I really wanted to like it but I added so much soy sauce, and still very little flavor. Added so much soy sauce I was worried about the salt content. My husband took the first bite and said it tasted “like dirt.” I told him mushrooms are earthy but then I took a bite. I tried to freshen up the flavor with some lemon, but it didn’t really help.
SO sorry to hear that. Did you use the right about about cauliflower rice? If you use more than 14oz./400g of cauliflower rice, the recipe might be flavourless since the amount of ingredients listed are for only 400g or 14oz of cauliflower rice.
so tasty rice recipe i loved it, so keep posting.
Awesome!
Looks delicious! Just want to point out that the gluten free alternative to soy sauce is tamari, not teriyaki. 🙂
Thanks a lot for pointing this typo out. Yes it’s definitely tamari.
I was searching for a unique riced cauliflower recipe and stumbled upon this one.
Made it for dinner and topped it off with one medium diced chicken breast that I marinated in soy sauce. My goodness, this is fantastic!!
I’m going to make this quite often, will change out toppings with shrimp, salmon, tuna, tempeh, hard boiled egg, etc. I put about two and a half tablespoons (recipe says “to taste”) of high quality (no preservatives added) soy sauce and my results were just outstanding, so delicious.
I buy frozen riced cauliflower in a 12oz bag and let it partially thaw prior to cooking. Worked great in this meal. Thank you so much Olivia for this amazing recipe. I’ll be trying out some of your other concoctions for sure!
You’re very welcome! Happy you liked it!
Just made this today and it was amazing! I used arugula and kale as that is what I had on hand. My hubby piled it on his eggs (which NEVER happens) and he liked it as well. Thanks for sharing!
THat’s amazing! So happy to hear that 😉
DIdn’t love this too bland. I roasted some eggplant, added a sauteed red pepper and tomato sauce with italian seasoning to rescue it. Just not our thing I guess
I am new to this cooking world but really want to try this recipe. Maybe it’s a bit silly to ask this, but when you say 3 cups of mushrooms, does that mean 3 cups of mushrooms before you slice them or 3 cups of sliced mushrooms? Sorry for my silly question, all the best 🙂
Thanks for your question. It’s 3 cups of sliced mushrooms.
This was really good! The only thing I did different was I added some Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes because I love some spice 🙂 We aren’t really fans of mushrooms but we’ve been trying to eat them more because they are so good for you. I’ll be making this again!
That’s amazing. I’m so happy you like this recipe even though you’re not a fan of mushroom!
Can I use frozen spinach in place of fresh? If so, how much?
Sorry but I think it won’t work well because it will release a lot of water.
Tried this recipe last night. Very good, easy, quick. I did not have spinach, so used shredded cabbage. Yum!
That’s a great idea to use shredded cabbage! Love it!
This will go on repeat at my house! Very good! I used frozen/thawed/squeezed cauliflower rice and it was delicious!
Perfect. Happy to hear that!
I had to make an account on here just so I could comment on this recipe. I read the comments and therefore didn’t follow the recipe to a tee-I added Miso and fresh ginger to this along with asparagus just to get some added veggies and it was fantastic! This is definitely something I plan on repeating regularly. Thank you!!!
Glad you liked it!
My husband, my son both loved this. Gave this recipe to my sister-in-law. She thought it would be good. Love all your recipes.
Thank you so much. Happy you liked it!
Can I use frozen riced cauliflower instead of fresh one?
yes you can.